To all the great people that I had the chance to meet online and offline or got to catch up with - thank you so much for everything - and to all those I've met throughout the years - it's just been a lot of fun, and I've learned so much from an amazing community. While this place won't see a next year (because it's just time) I'm sure I won't be able to stay away from something, so maybe I'll see you around (unless I get incredibly and extremely lazy which could happen and if that is the case, when you see me at the buffet, feel free to say hi or wave because I'm not mean - I won't eat you).

Much Love is an exploration of all the places and ways that we look for love - and how we find, or fail at it. Guest vocalists include Kevin Lien, among others, with much of the production coming from Elyon Beats (who also worked with Gowe on his recent Summer Breeze Sonatas).

Much Love is streaming at http://grandmaster.bandcamp.com, with full lyrics on the site; physical and digital copies are also available for purchase and download.

WITH THE HOLLA'DAYS HOUSE BAND
Charles Kim, David Kong, Scooter Oyama, Abraham Kim, Jonathan Lee

Home for the Holla'Days 3 marks the return of the concert series to the Bay Area. With some new faces and a brand new concert format focused on musical narratives, this year's show is the perfect place for celebrating the holidays with music, art and giving back.

As always, 100% of the proceeds from the concert will be donated to charity. Holla'Days 3 will donate all funds raised to Aid To Children Without Parents (ACWP), an organization focused on saving children at risk of sexual trafficking.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 17, 2012

Statement by the President on the Passing of Senator Daniel Inouye

Tonight, our country has lost a true American hero with the passing of Senator Daniel Inouye. The second-longest serving Senator in the history of the chamber, Danny represented the people of Hawaii in Congress from the moment they joined the Union. In Washington, he worked to strengthen our military, forge bipartisan consensus, and hold those of us in government accountable to the people we were elected to serve. But it was his incredible bravery during World War II – including one heroic effort that cost him his arm but earned him the Medal of Honor – that made Danny not just a colleague and a mentor, but someone revered by all of us lucky enough to know him. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Inouye family.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Vice President
________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 17, 2012

Statement by Vice President Biden on the Passing of Senator Daniel Inouye

As my mother would say, the greatest virtue of all is courage, and Danny was courage personified. From the battlefields of World War II where he received the Medal of Honor, to the floor of the United States Senate where he displayed incredible moral bravery, he was always the same – courageous and resolute. He was one of the most honorable men I ever met in my life, and one of the best friends you could hope for. He was honest, and fiercely loyal, and I trusted him absolutely.

Everyone in the Senate not only admired Danny Inouye, but they trusted him. We all knew he would do the moral thing regardless of the consequences – whether it was passing judgment on a President during Watergate or on another President in the Iran Contra hearings. And Danny always remembered where he came from – and how hard his family had to struggle. From having to fight for the right to fight for his country in the all Japanese-American 442nd, to his keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in 1968, he always spoke of the country’s struggles with racism and bias, and his call for a “new era of politics.” And to his dying day, he fought for a new era of politics where all men and women are treated with equality.

Above all, Danny was my friend, and Jill and I are praying for his entire family today.

The video captures Jhameel's raw emotionality as he watches a loved one crushed under the weight of an abusive relationship. "Shadow of a Man" was directed, shot, conceptualized, and edited in-house by Jhameel and his team with no outside support or funding, making it a fully independent project. The video was shot amidst the wrecked and abandoned buildings of Salton City, a desolate California ghost town left to decay by its inhabitants in the 1970's.

With the origins of the band starting in 2003/2004 (pushing their music into the forefront more seriously in 2008) by member Loe (AKA Loerider) OnFire Ent is a collaborative group with members located in different parts of the country, bringing together the individual stylings of its core group, while also incorporating new collaborators into their musical family.

Rocky: I am influenced and inspired by everyday life, especially by my family and real life situations. Yes I have had musical idols I grew up mimicking but I wanted to create my own story and sound. I am a songwriter first, so all types of genres of music have helped shape what I do today.

Mike: Well known artists such as Chris Brown, Neyo, Lloyd, Trey Songz keeps that drive goin' for me. But also, past artists I’ve listened to my whole career as an artist.

L-dubs: My family. Revolutionary artists like Kanye West, Jay-Z, Eminem, Dr. Dre. New artists that do revolutionary music like Kendrick Lamar, J.Cole, Macklemore. I also take a lot from pop music so I also analyze works from Dr. Luke, Stargate and Max Martin.

Jargon: Mainstream- It would be a dream to work with Lauren Hill or Ma$e. A youtube singer I look forward to working with is Emmalyn Estrada.

Rocky: I am really opt to collab with just about everyone, but the business and song have to fit my style. As far as major artists/producers, I would really love to work with Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Andre 3000, Robin Thicke, Frank Ocean, and Prince. On an indie level, I am a fan of Mackelmore and Allen Stone, who are from my home state. I am not all the way integrated into the YouTube community and am relatively unknown but my Onfire boys tend to keep me in the loop. Actually I found out about Mackelmore and Allen Stine from YouTube.

Mike: Chris Brown and Trey Songz!

L-Dubs: YouTube wise, it'd be dope to get a collab with D-Pryde. Mainstream wise, I personally want to work with Carly Rae Jepsen, Keri Hilson and Jhene Aiko. Not the typical answers but it'd be really dope to get one of them on the hook for one of our joints. Rappers I would want to collab with would be the usual (Kanye, Jay, Drake, 2 Chainz, Kendrick and J.Cole) Producers I would want to collab with would be Mike Will Made It, Just Blaze, Boi-1Da, 40, Redfoo, Dr. Luke, Stargate and Max Martin.

Loe: Mainstream wise: Mitchy Slick, Meek Mill, A$AP, and Drake.
Youtube wise: I would love to do a song with Erica David and Maribelle Anes

Who Have You Enjoyed Collaborating With?

Jargon: Tommy C. who pretty much birthed my career. In the end, I will owe it all to him. J.Reyez is a very talented artist who has time and time again brought our collabs to the next level. Ben One is another one I worked with on a record called Tell Me Why; he is an amazing artist all around. Mike Musni is like my right hand man. Although we don’t have many songs together, we work on tons of music side by side helping one another out.

Rocky: First and foremost I really enjoy working on collab projects with my brothers from OnFire Ent. Yes I am my own separate entity, but they have helped me develop another arsenal to my repertoire, and give me the creative freedom to express myself through any style especially rap. I am a R&B/soul singer at heart but they give me the confidence to do certain type of singing rap verses and choruses that you find competitive and marketable in today's music. They trust my artistry and we just work well together. As far as YouTube goes, I haven't had the pleasure to work with many well known indie acts. The few that I have worked with have been great, especially Lil Crazed and Michelle Martinez, who I have gotten to know quite well. I am all about building relationships. In the major market, I have worked with Grammy Award winning platinum producers Tha Bizness (T-Pain, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Drake) producers Kuddie Fresh and Illoquint, and platinum songwriter Smitty. I have also penned songs for Twista, PitBull, and YMCMB, which have been wonderful experiences.

Mike: I’ve enjoyed working with the homies Onfire Ent. when it comes to layin down tracks in the studio, performing on stage, shoot’n video’s or just hangin out. I’ve also enjoyed working with other various Youtube artists within the past 2 yrs.

L-Dubs: We just did a joint with Michelle Martinez that's super dope. Be on the lookout for the video dropping very soon. We've also done collabs with Lil Crazed and Erin Paula that were great. Derez is also an artist who whenever we needed a dope verse was super quick to get back at us with some heat.

Loe: I would have to agree with everyone above! Favorite collab: ‘It Girl’ cover featuring Me, L-Dubs, Jargon, and Tommy C with J. Reyez as the videographer and special guest appearances with everyone from D-Pryde, Andrew Garcia, Erin Paula, Michelle Martinez, Lil Crazed, and more!

Ongoing Projects

Jargon: Aside from OnFire, I am currently working with Makers, a collab group with J.Reyez, Tommy C, and Gamble managed by Dennis Troung of Nu- Lite Entertainment.

Rocky: 2013 is going to be an even bigger year. 3 brand new projects...as well as a mini tour, and the continuation of the LNO tour.

Mike: Currently working with Onfire Ent on a few tracks. Setting up new home studio.

L-Dubs and Loe: Me and Loe are thinking of starting a food truck in the next couple years! Kung Pao Shrimp and Grits, Pulled Pork Lumpia, Ox-Tail Banh-Mi, Sriracha Lime Chicken and Waffles.. who want it?! All partial joking aside, look out for Sex, Drugs, Rap and Soul; Red, White, Black; and The ONFIRE ENT Collective Project to be named soon!!!

The only reason I seem to be posting this was because I was catching up on some news, and who knew that just four days ago there was something called the World Pole Dancing Championships...which made me have the following thoughts:

One is that I was just amazed that such a contest was going on.

Two is that I'm kind of sad I wasn't able to attend (and no, that doesn't make me a pervert, in fact, I can think of many other things if I admitted to liking that would actually make me a pervert) - I'd just be curious to see what the arena looked like and if they had a special pole for the championship - was it gold plated and 100 ft tall that competitors had to scale?).

Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana fiercely shot back at Mitt Romney’s claim Wednesday that President Barack Obama outmatched the 2012 Republican presidential nominee by offering "gifts" to African-Americans, Hispanics and young voters.

“I absolutely reject that notion,” Jindal, who was a surrogate for Romney’s campaign, said at the Republican Governors Association conference in Las Vegas. “I think that's absolutely wrong.” ... “I don't think that represents where we are as a party and where we're going as a party,” he continued. “That has got to be one of the most fundamental takeaways from this election.”

GOING GREEN THE WONG WAY
Created and written by Kristina Wong
Directed by Paul Tei
Design by Ian Garrett
Performed by Kristina Wong

In her quest to pursue sustainable living, Kristina Wong purchased a 1981 pink Mercedes that ran on vegetable oil, and endured a nightmare of never-ending car repairs and near death pursuits for the used cooking oil to fuel it. When the car finally burst into flames on an L.A. freeway, Wong lost the largest line item in her monthly budget, and gained the inspiration for this premiere production. GOING GREEN THE WONG WAY brings our contemporary urban environment to life, revealing just how tricky it is to "do the right thing." Based on Wong's true-life adventures, but elevated to surrealist heights, the production takes us from Kristina's confrontational 6th grade science project, to her wandering years as a missionary of recycling, to her true calling as Los Angeles' patron martyr of carbon-free living.

At Touchstone for two nights only!
Friday 11/16 and Saturday 11/17 at 8pm
Tickets $25 / $15 for students and seniors, with group rates available
Purchase tickets online at http://bit.ly/RRKhwM
Or by phone at 610-867-1689

For all the budding writers and publishers out there, this might be for you.

We also know that sometimes the hardest part isn't getting your ideas down on paper, but getting your manuscript out of the slush pile. It's hard to know where to start, especially if you've got a full-time job or are raising a kid. Enroll in the Asian American Writers’ Workshop's first annual publishing conference and meet veteran agents and editors and publishers from Farrar Straus Giroux, Little Brown Publishing, The New York Times, Grantland, The Millions, and Vice magazine. They'll share their trade secrets to get you on your way from solitary writer to bestselling author. Open to writers of all ages, races, and genres!

...

This is your chance. The Workshop has hand-selected insiders of the publishing industry so that you can get the attention you deserve as an aspiring writer. Veteran agents will teach you how to stand out and attain marketability. Senior editors of coveted publishing houses and publications will tell you the dos and don’ts of pitching and placing from small presses and trade publications to online magazines and new digital publishers like The Atavist and Kindle Singles. Acclaimed writers will share how they got their big break and how you can get yours! And publicists will share their strategies for increasing social media presence. See program schedule below.

WASHINGTON—Today, President Obama nominated Derrick Kahala Watson to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii. If confirmed, Watson will be the only person of native Hawaiian descent serving as an Article III judge, and only the fourth in American history.

“We applaud Derrick Kahala Watson’s nomination to serve as a federal district judge on the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii,” said Wendy C. Shiba, president-elect of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Mr. Watson has deep roots in Hawaii and if confirmed, he will be the only person of native Hawaiian ancestry on the federal bench. NAPABA commends President Obama, Senator Inouye, and Senator Akaka for supporting the nomination of such a well-qualified nominee to serve the people of Hawaii.”

Watson currently serves as chief of the Civil Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii. Prior to joining the office in 2007, he was in private practice at two firms in San Francisco, and also served for several years in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Watson was a member of the United States Army Reserve and served as a Captain in the JAG Corps from 1998-2006. He attended the Kamehameha Schools, Harvard College, and Harvard Law School, and is the first person in his family to attend college. Watson was raised in a multi-generational household on Oahu that included his mother, who worked at a local bank until her retirement several years ago, and his father, who retired from the Honolulu Police Department.

“We applaud President Obama, Senator Inouye, and Senator Akaka for supporting a nominee who has devoted much of his career to government service,” said Mee Moua, president and executive director of the Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice. “Mr. Watson’s nomination demonstrates the continued commitment of the President to diversify our judiciary.”

Pacific Islanders and Native Americans remain essentially unrepresented in the federal judiciary. No Native Hawaiian currently serves as an Article III judge, and there are currently no Native Americans serving on the federal bench. NAPABA continues to work with our partner organizations to remedy this glaring omission.

I think I just disagree based on the premise that Obama getting elected = less racism in this country. Was it less racism that got him elected, or was it just that more People Of Color did what they needed to do to ensure that the racism didn't kick him out of office?

In the NYT's article "Hyundai and Kia Acknowledge Overstating the Gas Mileage of Vehicles", it also says:

Hyundai and Kia apologized to customers for what they called “procedural errors” in testing that resulted in incorrect mileage stickers on some of their most popular models, like the Hyundai Elantra and Kia Rio...

The companies said the misstated mileage figures were a result of internal errors in testing the vehicles for E.P.A. certification.

I don't know how results in testing that were thought to be true equates to the sentiment that the companies somehow exaggerated the numbers more than what was known to be true.

The headline I like more is "Hyundai and Kia Acknowledge Errors In Gas Mileage Performance Data".

Just fact.

On their Web site, Hyundai says to its customers "We’ve got your back" in regard to its program to adjust its stated fuel economy rates and reimburse customers (approximately 900,000 owners) the difference between the previously stated fuel ratings and the new fuel ratings (more about the program in the press release).

First lady Michelle Obama’s request to speak at a Chesterfield County elementary school, while on the campaign trail in Virginia, was rejected by the school officials, citing that it went against school policy.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that the Chesterfield school officials refused to discuss the request made by the Obama campaign.

Why wouldn't you want the First Lady to come and speak at your elementary school?

Definitely sounds like something I'd want to have at my school...if I owned a school.

The creators of the groundbreaking Asian American comics anthology SECRET IDENTITIES are back, bringing together the most exciting Asian American talents in comics and beyond for SHATTERED — a brand new collection that upends and subverts the negative and cliché stereotypes that have haunted Asian America for generations.

Now, the SI UNIVERSE team is preparing to go on the road with a unique interactive, multimedia program designed to bring the historical context and sociological consequences of these stereotypes to life — incorporating both the ideas and stories of SHATTERED and the rich artifacts of its thematic companion, the acclaimed museum exhibition “MARVELS & MONSTERS: Unmasking the Asian Image in U.S. Comics, 1942-1986,” curated by SHATTERED editor-in-chief Jeff Yang.

“SHATTERED and MARVELS & MONSTERS evolved side by side, and share a common structure —they both explore a set of pervasive archetypes that have shaped how America has seen Asians for the past 200 years,” says Yang. “MARVELS & MONSTERS shows how these images have been internalized in American popular culture — and SHATTERED brings together some of Asian America’s most talented and celebrated creators to reinvent and subvert those images. This tour is our way of bringing the two together, and getting them in front of as many people as possible.”

SHATTERED Tour programming includes one or more of the following:

A live multimedia presentation by SI UNIVERSE’s creators, featuring images, video, and audio;
An interactive “Build a Hero/Villain” workshop, in which SI UNIVERSE artists and editors work with the audience in real time to develop and draw an original superhero or arch-villain that reflects a complex, nuanced, and authentic cultural identity;
Kiosk installations that showcase the history, cultural context, and comic book depiction of the five pop-culture archetypes addressed in SHATTERED: the stoic Brute (coolies, gangsters, henchmen, and martial artists); the cerebral Brain (mad scientists, ancient wise men, maladroit nerds, and overachieving whiz kids); the exotic Temptress (the sensual femme fatale of a thousand faces); the inscrutable Alien (the eternal foreigner, utterly incomprehensible, totally unassimilable); and the devious Manipulator (puppet master and conspirator who seeks to control and conquer from the shadows); and
Guided breakout sessions that allow deeper sharing and discussion of the personal impact of stereotypes on participants’ real lives.

The SI UNIVERSE team is currently in discussions to bring the tour to schools and community groups in a series of major U.S. cities including, but not limited to Boston, Chicago, New York, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington D.C. If your school, museum or other institution is interested in hosting the tour, please visit the official website and fill out the form located at http://secretidentities.org/Site/The_Tour.html, or contact Keith Chow, SI Universe Outreach Director, at keith@secretidentities.org.

ABOUT SHATTERED: THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMICS ANTHOLOGY
The pioneering collection SECRET IDENTITIES looked at the Asian American experience through the lens of superhero comics; its sequel, SHATTERED, expands its horizon to include edgier genres, from hard-boiled pulp to horror, adventure, fantasy, and science fiction. Using this darker range of hues, it seeks to subvert the hidebound stereotypes that have obscured the Asian image since the earliest days of immigration: the stoic brute, the prodigious brain, the exotic temptress, the inscrutable alien, the devious manipulator.

Its eclectic and impressive lineup of contributors includes many leading comics creators, including Bernard Chang, Greg Pak, Takeshi Miyazawa, Gene Yang, Ming Doyle, Sonny Liew, Sean Chen, GB Tran, Christine Norrie, and Larry Hama; as well as stars from other media such as rapper Adam WarRock, slam poet Bao Phi, filmmaker Michael Kang, author Jamie Ford; and many more! Their original graphic short stories cover topics from ethnic kiddie shows, China’s AIDS policy, and airline security procedures to the untold backstory of Flash Gordon’s nemesis and the gritty reality of a day in the life of a young Koreatown gangster.

Eisner-winning graphic novelist Derek Kirk Kim (Same Difference) calls SHATTERED “a highly eclectic grab bag,” while best-selling YA author David Yoo (The Detention Club) says, “there truly is something for everyone… these stories are all ridiculously unputdownable!” Spoken word artist Beau Sia says SHATTERED “would have been a truly beneficial graphic novel to have while growing up, unsure of my place in the world.” And Konrad Ng, director of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, calls SHATTERED “a visual delight that envisions how the rich tradition of American comics is an Asian American experience. The result? A novel and entertaining form of empowerment.” SHATTERED incorporates thrills, chills, and delight while exposing the hidden issues and vital truths of the nation’s fastest-growing and most dynamic community, and features a cover designed by DC Comics' superstar Cliff Chiang.

ABOUT MARVELS & MONSTERS: UNMASKING THE ASIAN IMAGE IN U.S. COMICS, 1942-1986
New York University's Asia/Pacific/American Institute commissioned SECRET IDENTITIES editor-in-chief Jeff Yang to curate MARVELS & MONSTERS on behalf of NYU’s Fales Library, which had received a bequest of a unique collection of comic books gathered by science fiction author and cultural studies scholar William F. Wu over the course of four decades of adult life. The Wu collection wasn't notable for its size or the rarity of its contents; what distinguished this archive was its subject — Wu had spent dozens of years painstakingly gathering and organizing mainstream comics that presented images of Asians and Asian Americans, creating a fascinating timeline of evolving social and cultural perceptions from 1942 to 1986, a span that was among the most turbulent period in relations between the U.S. and Asia, when America was engaged in nearly continuous conflict with Asian powers, while also opening its doors to large-scale immigration from Asia for the first time in its history.

Yang, who with the SI UNIVERSE team was in the process of working on SHATTERED, developed the book and the exhibit side by side, using the common theme of illustrating a set of persistent archetypes that still define Asians in the popular eye as exotic foreigners, cerebral nerds, impassive brutes, fiendish manipulators, and sultry seductresses. In MARVELS & MONSTERS, these depictions — originating in racist editorial cartoons and xenophobic propaganda — are seen in hyperreal, four-color form in a medium conceived of as children's entertainment. The full show has been exhibited in New York, Philadelphia, and Purdue University in Indiana and is headed for Los Angeles in Fall 2013. A pop-up mobile version of the show is being developed as part of the SHATTERED tour.

For more information on SHATTERED and real-time updates on the SHATTERED tour, follow the Secret Identities Universe on Twitter at @SIUniverse; on Facebook at facebook.com/SIUniverse; or visit the website at www.secretIdentities.org.

East West Players (EWP), the nation's largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work and the longest-running professional theatre of color in the country, has partnered with the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) and USC Center for Japanese Religions & Culture (CJRC) for the world premiere of TEA, WITH MUSIC.

Book and lyrics for TEA, WITH MUSIC are by acclaimed playwright Velina Hasu Houston, music by Nathan Wang and choreographed by Giovanni Ortega. This production is directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera. The musical features Joan Almedilla (Miss Saigon, Les Miserables), Tiffany-Marie Austin (Miss Saigon, A Little Night Music), Yumi Iwama (Our Town, South Pacific), Jennie Kwan (TV’s California Dreams, Avenue Q), and Janet Song (Twelfth Night, Medea).

Founded in 1971, the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center is one of the largest ethnic arts and cultural centers of its kind in the United States. The JACCC is the preeminent presenter of Japanese and Japanese American, and Asian American performing and visual arts nationally. Their mission is to present, perpetuate, transmit and promote Japanese and Japanese American arts and culture to diverse audiences, and to provide a center to enhance community programs. The JACCC also provides office space to a wide variety of nonprofit cultural, educational and community-based organizations in Los Angeles.

"The Japanese American Cultural Community Center (JACCC) fully values a partnership with other arts groups that present quality works of art for the community. We share much in common - and we can only wish the greatest success for EWP in this production of Tea, With Music!" says Bill Watanabe, Interim Executive Director of the JACCC.

The Center for Japanese Religions and Culture was established at USC in September 2011. The Center’s mission is to promote the study of Japanese religions and culture at USC and in the broader intellectual community of Japan Studies. The CJRC will foster this area of study by funding faculty-led research projects; planning conferences, colloquia, and workshops; providing faculty and graduate student research support awards; and by building our capacity to host visiting scholars and postdoctoral fellows in the near future. CJRC is the first research center for Japanese religions on the West Coast of the United States, and only the second such center in the country.

"We are honored to be associated with one of the most important plays on the post-war Japanese-American experience, Tea With Music by Velina Hasu-Houston,” says Duncan Williams, Director of the USC Center for Japanese Religions and Culture. “We are excited about this collaboration with East West Players to celebrate one of our faculty affiliates' major works, this time as a musical production. The struggles overcome by the war brides depicted in the play are one of the many stories that represent the fabric of the U.S. - Japan relationship today."

Generous support for this production is provided by the S. Mark Taper Foundation Endowment for East West Players. Additional funding for TEA, WITH MUSIC is provided by the James Irvine Foundation, the California Community Foundation, Shubert Foundation, The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation.

All performances of TEA, WITH MUSIC will be staged at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts at 120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. Previews run from November 8-10 at 8pm, and November 11th at 2pm. TEA, WITH MUSIC opens November 14th and closes on Sunday, December 9, 2012. Opening night will be accompanied by a pre-performance cocktail reception and a post-show reception with the cast and creative team. Performances are Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. The Pay-What-You-Can Performance will be held Wednesday, November 21st at 8 pm. The post-show discussion will be held on Sunday, December 2nd.

General Tickets range from $31-$41. Preview tickets are $21 general admission, $16 for students. Opening night tickets are $65 for all seats. Tickets are currently on sale. For ticket purchases or more information, please call East West Players at (213) 625-7000 or visit www.eastwestplayers.org. Senior, student and group discounts are available. Dates and details are subject to change.

A multi-ethnic epic spanning 500 years and around the globe, “it’s an artistically ambitious approach to filmmaking,” according to the organization’s Founding President Guy Aoki.
“Unfortunately, it reflects the same old racial pecking order that the entertainment industry has been practicing for decades.”

“Cloud Atlas,” written and directed by Tom Tykwer (“Run, Lola, Run”) and Lana and Andy Wachowski (“The Matrix” trilogy) and based on the novel by David Mitchell, utilizes an all-star cast that includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Jim Sturgess, and Hugo Weaving. In order to stress a thematic continuity among the movie’s six different interwoven stories, the filmmakers cast many of the same actors as different characters in each time period.

One of the stories takes place in a totalitarian, mechanized Neo Seoul Korea in the year 2144. An Asian female clone (South Korean actress Doona Bae) is encouraged by another female clone (Chinese movie star Xun Zhou) to break out of her oppressive pre-programmed routine to serve men and become an independent thinker. The segment also includes White actors Sturgess, Weaving, and James D’Arcy as ostensibly Korean characters, using eye prosthetics to make their Caucasian features look more Asian.

“’Cloud Atlas’ prides itself on its ‘multi-racial cast,’” said Aoki, “but that basically means White men and women of color, like La Jolla Playhouse’s ‘The Nightingale,’ which was criticized last Summer for using only two Asian American actresses but allowing five White men to play Chinese characters.

Aoki said, “’Cloud Atlas’ missed a great opportunity. The Korea story’s protagonist is an Asian man--an action hero who defies the odds and holds off armies of attackers. He’s the one who liberates Doona Bae from her repressive life and encourages her to join the resistance against the government. It would have been a great, stereotype-busting role for an Asian American actor to play, as Asian American men aren’t allowed to be dynamic or heroic very often.

“But instead, they cast Jim Sturgess in yellowface,” Aoki continued, referring to the historically frowned-upon practice of using cosmetics, such as eye prosthetics, to make Caucasian actors look Asian.

“In fact, every major male character in the Korea story is played by non-Asian actors in really bad yellowface make-up. When you first see Hugo Weaving as a Korean executioner, there’s this big close-up of him in this totally unconvincing Asian make-up. The Asian Americans at the pre-screening burst out laughing because he looked terrible--like a Vulcan on ‘Star Trek.’ It took us out of the movie. And Jim Sturgess and James D’Arcy didn’t look much better.”

MANAA Vice President Miriam Nakamura-Quan stated, “In the modern age of movie make up, it is disturbing to see poorly done Asian eye prosthetics to make Caucasian men look Asian. The race-changing make-up totally disrupted the flow of the film. The old yellowface movie characters of the past like Fu Manchu and Charlie Chan looked more realistic than the characters in ‘Cloud Atlas.’ Why couldn’t they have cast a handsome Asian American actor of mixed race to play the multiple roles in Neo Seoul and the other time periods? It would have made the movie more believable.”

Added Aoki, “It appears that to turn white and black actors into Asian characters (black actor Keith David was also Asian in the 2144 story), the make-up artists believed they only had to change their eyes, not their facial structure and complexion. In two scenes in other segments of the film, Bae and Zhou are made up to appear Caucasian. The filmmakers, Aoki said, “obviously took more care to make them look convincingly white. The message the movie sends is, it takes a lot of work to get Asians to look Caucasian, but you can easily turn Caucasians into Asians by just changing the shape of their eyes.”

In another story set in the South Pacific in 1849, Maori slaves are played predominantly by blacks, including Afro-British actor David Gyasi. “You have to ask yourself: Would the directors have used blackface on a white actor to play Gyasi’s role?” asked Aoki. “I don’t think so: That would have outraged African American viewers. But badly done yellowface is still OK.

“In any case, this was a lost opportunity to cast real Asian Pacific Islanders. Why weren’t there any real Asian male actors portraying any of the major characters in this supposedly racially diverse film?” Aoki concluded, “It’s a double standard: White actors are allowed to play anything--except black characters--and have the dominant roles; Asian male actors are non-existent. And Pacific Islanders are played by blacks.”

Asked Nakamura-Quan, “If, in the making of this complex movie, the creators of ‘Cloud Atlas’ can make creative leaps in time, place, characters, race and gender, why can’t they also take a creative leap in the casting?”

MANAA, the only organization solely dedicated to advocating balanced, sensitive, and positive depiction and coverage of Asian Americans, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. It led nationwide protests against the movie “Rising Sun” in 1993 and challenged Sarah Silverman’s use of “chinks” in her joke on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and Bill Maher’s “Politically Incorrect” in 2001.

While the screening down at the JANM has passed, the life of this film looks to be just beginning, and with an amazing group of people involved, it should go a long way.

ABOUT

“HIBAKUSHA” is an animated documentary/drama featuring Kaz Suyeishi, a 57 year old Japanese woman, who recalls her most vivid and horrific experiences as a 17 year old Hiroshima student during the morning of August 6, 1945 when the atomic bomb dropped on her hometown.

This film is inspired to bring awareness to the Hiroshima & Nagasaki bombings in hopes that nothing like this will ever happen again and over time, show tremendous forgiveness after these terrible incidents occurred. This project will commemorate the 66th Anniversary of the bombings and is dedicated to the Association of Hiroshima & Nagasaki A-bomb Survivors.

I really don't know the exact comment "George Michael" was replying to in the Lin Volvo commercial comments, but this was just funny for me:

"White men also seem to have small cock and can't drive for shit..."

When I read that I just couldn't help but think of someone's aunt who had some really bad dates on Match.com never to return again to the dating scene, bitter at the small white penises that almost got her into numerous accidents on the way to what they described as "a really authentic Chinese place" nestled between a Big Bowl and Leaann Chin.

Tim Kaine, Former VA Governor, Military Veteran
Running for US Senate in VirginiaKaineforVA.comDonate

Tammy Duckworth, Former Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Military Veteran
Running for the US House of Representatives from Illinois' 8th CD (Lake, McHenry and Cook counties)TammyDuckworth.comDonate

Dr. Ami Bera, Physician and Educator
Running for the US House of Representatives from California's 16th CD (Folstom, Elk Grove, Eastern Sacramento)BeraforCongress.comDonate

Mark Takano for Congress, School Leader and Educator
Running for for the US House of Representatives from California's 41st District (Riverside, Jurupa Valley, Moreno Valley, Perris)MarkTakano.comDonate

Nate Shinagawa, Tompkins County Legislator
Running for the US House of Representatives from New York's 16th CD (Tompkins County; Seneca, Yates, Schuyler, Chemung, most of Tioga; Steuben, Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties; eastern half of Ontario)NateShinagawa.comDonate

Dr. Manan Trivedi, Physician
Running for the US House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 6th CD (Berks, Chester, Lebanon, Montgomery Counties)TrivediforCongress.comDonate

Tulsi Gabbard, Honolulu City Councilmember, Military Veteran
Running for the US House of Representatives from Hawaii's 2nd CD (Honolulu)VoteVulsi.comDonate

Otto Lee, Patent Attorney, Military Veteran
Running for the US House of Representatives from California's 22nd CD (Fresno, Clovis, Visalia, Tulare, surrounding San Joaquin Valley)OttoforCongress.orgDonate

Grace Meng, New York State Assemblywoman
Running for the US House of Representatives from New York's 6th CD (Queens)GraceforNewYork.comDonate

One post about two projects with mildly related topics: Asian American, Interracial Gay Couple, and Adoption.

And a couple of film festivals.

The first project is on director/actor Albert M. Chan's new film, The Commitment, which will be presented down at the Boston Asian American Film Festival about an interracial gay couple who looks to start a family through adoption and is chosen by the mother Kerri Patterson, to adopt her baby to.

The second project is on watchadopteefilms.com started by two Asian Americans, both adoptees, who have started out a site to stream films dealing with adoption and adoptee related narratives. The site is also a part of the Minnesota Transracial Film Festival now in its third year.

Don't take the title of my post as knowing a lot about the football on the other side of the pond but I just thought it was interesting what former English goalkeeper David James said on racism:

I think that some people have an agenda to keep themselves in existence and, as a player, I don't see the racism issue - anywhere, personally. Maybe people just don't want to aim it at me - I don't know.

You might have heard about this already, and you may also not even care, but in case you do, or haven't, or just want some interesting news to talk about at the next dinner you might be attending:

He was 18 when won his Olympic medal in Vancouver as the youngest member of the short-track squad. He’s now the reigning world champion at 500 meters. On Sunday, he turned 21. But now Mr. Cho has admitted to secretly tampering with the skates of a Canadian athlete before a race last year, an unthinkable act of sabotage that the sport’s governing body, U.S. Speedskating, called “an egregious breach” of its code of ethics.

Got this sent in by Robin Lung, producer and director of Finding Kukan. Check out the kickstarter campaign.

ABOUT THE FILM:

When I discovered a full copy of the lost Oscar-winning film KUKAN, I was ecstatic. But what really captivated me were the stories of the two novice filmmakers behind the making of the movie – a Chinese American author from Hawaii named Li Ling-Ai and a freelance photographer from the Midwest named Rey Scott. Each braved War, Prejudice and Financial Hardship to make a color film of war-torn China that helped change history. Now the world has forgotten them. I’m asking for your help to change that.

FINDING KUKAN will be a feature documentary targeted at a national PBS broadcast that chronicles my quest to restore the badly damaged print of KUKAN and the untold story of its makers to their rightful place in history. It’s a story that has taken me from Hawaii to the mainland and from one coast to the other. It’s also a story that has been winning over friends, colleagues, and complete strangers who have donated time and resources to get us to where we are now -- two thirds of the way through production. Now, at the difficult juncture between production and post-production, WE NEED YOUR HELP TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD.

When music is your life, a big break is all you need. For 10 independent artists around the country, that break is already within reach. Myx TV’s Press Play kicks off the voting period for its second episode of the show’s second season. Based on total fan votes, the winner’s original music video will get premiered and played on the nationwide cable channel. The music act will also perform at the network’s state-of-the-art studios in California and experience a full launch as a break out artist. Check out the network’s greatest finds and vote! The polls are open from October 8 til October 15, 12pm pacific time on Myx TV and the winner will headline the premiere episode on November 9.

Check out the original songs and music videos from artists like Matt Almodiel of Oxon Hill, Maryland with his single, “Nothing To Lose.” This R&B pop musician debuted into the scene through the Kollaboration DC stage in 2011. No stranger to entertainment, having played a small role as Sean Kingston’s “High-fiver” on an episode of Disney’s The Suite Life, Chicago’s TrakBoss premieres his track “Act Like You Want It.”

California comes in strong this week with a number of artists including JB of Brentwood with “2AM (Original).” The multi-genre acoustic artist was recognized as California’s Best Unsigned Artist at the 2012 Apollo Night in Stockton. Former starting point guard of a division one basketball team, the self-taught pop musician Alex Carbonel of San Jose with her single “I Can’t Wait” moves from the hard court to the entertainment scene. Also check out sultry soul songstress Tracy Cruz of San Jose with “Love’s Galaxy” and versatile popstar Morgan Ashley’s “Never Get Enough.”

The best lyrics tell life stories and that’s how “When You Come Home” was made by Alaskan hip hop artist Blaack. “I wrote half of this song while I was deployed, the other half once I was out of the military,” he says of his recent stint serving overseas. “Choose me coz it’s for the troops.”

At its core, Press Play continues to search for unique voices like San Francisco’s KOOL GUY w/ EazE. His hip hop electronic single, “It’s Going Down” speaks to his style. “I dare to be different.” This week also features street famous hip hop artist J Slick ft. Samyell of Sacramento with “Lookin at You.”

Krystle Tugadi brings “Sunshine” from Buena Park, California. She says, “All I’ve ever needed was one shot to prove myself as an artist.”

So check out these videos and vote for your favorite through October 15. Get your favorite artist “played.”

“The search for independent music artists has been a remarkable revelation of the talent we have in the United States,” said Nicki Sun, Associate Producer for Myx TV Press Play. “Each artist brings incredible sound, unique story-telling lyrics, and a soul that truly reflects our generation.”

All videos and voting happens on Myx TV where YOU choose who gets played and who gets famous. See the winning videos premiere on nationwide TV on the network that brings the best entertainment, Myx TV.

##

ABOUT Myx TV®:

Myx TV is the premier Asian American entertainment and lifestyle cable network in the United States. Dedicated to airing the best in entertainment, Myx TV’s programming is a unique combination of original and syndicated shows, including magazine talk shows, interactive music video countdowns, independent film and Asian cinema, and animation, airing 24/7 in English. Broadcast in over 10 million households across the country it provides a platform for Asian Americans on mainstream television and is also represented on its official website by a community of bloggers from coast-to-coast. To find Myx TV in your area and for exclusive content online, visit www.myx.tv.

Not time to make yourself a sandwich and sit down in front of the TV or your computer watching the latest YouTube videos of people going Gangnam Style.

Well - there's probably always time for that.

But I'm talking about voting.

I'm talking about making sure that your voice is heard in a process that does indeed make a difference no matter how many cynics might tell you different.

And On Every Post From Now Until The Election

You will see a couple of links pointing you to:

1.Register2.rockthevote.com - If you're not already registered, follow the link and get yourself registered. If you are registered but you know people that aren't - push them to the link or to the site, and help them get registered. If you want to get them registered another way - do that too.

2.18 Million Rising - I could tell you about 18 MR but I might as well just let them tell you about it because who knows you better than yourself.

There are approximately 18 million Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States, representing nearly 6% of the total population and growing faster than any other racial group (!) Despite that, Asian Americans remain one of the most politically under–organized, under–engaged, and under–represented constituencies: only 55% of Asian American citizens of voting age are registered to vote -- the lowest rate of all races.

18MillionRising.org was founded by Jee Kim and Ian Inaba (Citizen Engagement Lab) to promote APIA civic engagement by leveraging the power of technology and social media. 18MillionRising.org (18MR) is a campaign composed of a broad coalition of partners, ranging from community based organizations and print magazines to Asian American blogs and YouTube channels. Throughout the 2012 election cycle, 18MR will promote online voter registration tools, run social media-fueled civic engagement campaigns and contests, and provide up–to–date information and analysis on all things political that Asian (and all!) Americans should know about.

Ultimately, 18MR is about you, your friends, your cousins, your aunties, your whole community. It’s about making our voices heard...on Election Day, when a Sikh gurdwara is attacked, when an Asian American soldier or student is viciously bullied, when we’re misrepresented in the media or mainstream culture, when Jeremy Lin is called a “chink” (and when he registers his first triple double!), and when one of our APIA elected officials does us proud. 18MR is about us, all 18 million of us.

Who Made You The Voting Police?

No one dumbass. I'm just trying to help spread the word and if you read this post and that's the best question you have, I probably have even stronger words for you, but I'll just say this:

Even though I support a person's right not to vote (because that is your right as well to exercise), I think this election is even more important than the last and I hope you do vote - especially as APIAs because we're a force to be reckoned with - and I'll keep on reminding you of that right up until the election.

You still have 8 days to submit your film or digital and interactive media project for the 31st San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (March 14-24, 2013)! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to have your work included with CAAM’s incredible line-up of films, videos and digital and interactive projects.

This is your chance to have your work seen by sophisticated, diverse, and enthusiastic audiences from all over the world who converge in the San Francisco Bay Area each March to participate in the world’s largest festival devoted to bringing to light stories and projects by and about Asians and Asian Americans.

There are two more submission deadlines:

TONIGHT, October 1st by 11:59 PM PST ($35 submission fee)
Next Monday, October 8th by 11:59 PM PST ($40 submission fee available only through Withoutabox).
See the Festival submission guidelines and instructions here: http://caamedia.org/festival/call-for-entries

Submit online: https://www.withoutabox.com/login/1392

All CAAM members can submit for free! Limit one waiver per member. Join CAAM today to receive the amazing benefit of submitting your SFIAAFF31 entry for free.

Members also receive fantastic benefits throughout the year including:

Justice Randall Eng will become the first Asian-American presiding justice to sit in the Appellate Division, after Governor Andrew Cuomo named him to head the Second Department on Monday.

Eng, who was born in China and raised in New York City, said in an interview Monday that he was "very honored" to receive the appointment.

An associate justice in the Second Department since 2008, Eng was one of seven Appellate Division appointments announced by Cuomo.

"I am proud to appoint such an accomplished and diverse group of jurists to the Appellate Division," Cuomo said in a statement. "I am also pleased to appoint Justice Eng to serve as New York's first Asian-American presiding justice and lead one of the busiest appellate courts in the country."

In an interview, Eng said he became the first Asian-American judge in New York history when he joined the New York City Criminal Court in 1983.

In the nearly three decades since, he noted, the number of Asian-Americans in the legal community has grown, although perhaps "not as many as it should be on the bench," he said. "I hope this gives encouragement."

Caught this video from the The Huffington Post and while the arrest isn't funny - and the White woman was the one that actual pushed Mona Eltahawy and I didn't see her get arrested (or hear about her getting arrested for anything - but then again I'm slow...) this video just made me laugh because the White woman is just bat-shit crazy and echoes the cries of Clueless White People who she obviously likes to quarterback for (in her own bat-shit way).

Fifth -- are you fucking kidding me? This guys is a professor at The University Of North Carolina and he teaches the following courses?

HIST 128—United States History Since 1865
HIST 373—The United States in World War II
HIST 374—The American West, 1800 to the Present
HIST 395—The United States in World War II: War and Society
HIST 584—The Promise of Urbanization: American Cities in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries

Holy fuck institutions of higher learning - what the hell are you doing? Do you not interview your professors or can just any racist dumb MF get a job at your school?

I want to call your attention to a new addition to Wyoming culture. It is a museum of the Heart Mountain Japanese American Relocation Center between Cody and Powell in World War II.

As you probably know, the Japanese-Americans on the West Coast were evacuated from their West Coast homes to camps in the interior West and Arkansas. That was done as a national security measure because the U. S. government doubted the loyalty of many of the “Nikkei,” as the group was then called, and feared the military prowess of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

The point of the museum is to prove that the camps were “concentration camps” and that they were established because of racism. Neither charge is true and neither has ever been proven. It is beyond question that many of the first generation Nikkei (a term comprising all Japanese-Americans) were loyal to Japan and some even went so far as to repatriate themselves to that country during the war and many more stated their intention to do so. The first generation had extensive pre-war ties to the Imperial Japanese government through the Japanese consuls in the United States. The pre-war Japanese claimed to have an extensive spy network on the West Coast and just before the war the government rolled up a net headed by a man named Itaru Tachibana. We don’t know whether a net existed after that point, but we do know that the Imperial Japanese servants thought that they had one. So did the American government. The United States and its allies suffered tremendous losses in the first six months of the war and the government thought that it could not fully trust the Nikkei in case the Imperial Japanese launched a raid on the West Coast. That was what caused the relocation of the Nikkei.

How many Japanese- Americans were disloyal is not known, but I have never read a piece of evidence from a reliable witness which said that all of them were loyal.

And To The Trib.com

What the fuck are you printing this vile, racist, uneducated (ironic huh?) crap for anyway? This isn't opinion - this is KKK hang everyone from a tree hate speech and there's no way around it.

Hope you were able to get in...and at least you can still RSVP on the waitlist...sure, you probably won't get in...but you can at least say you tried...like trying to get an HP Touchpad off Ebay that one time...when Touchpad's were hot...

Presented by Tuesday Night Project
with social media sponsors AngryAsianMan.com & channelAPA.com
and community sponsors hereandnow theater company

***FREE PRIORITY GENERAL ADMISSION RSVP SOLD OUT***
http://blacklava20th.eventbrite.com/
((Over 150 of you RSVPed but feel free to RSVP to be on the waitlist. We just need a way to manage FIRE CODE concerns in our intimate gallery setting. Thanx!))

blacklava is turning 20! let's celebrate the legacy of this groundbreaking Asian American institution AND all the wonderful friends who made blacklava what it is today!

FEATURING
* A special exhibit of original works by community artists and writers inspired by blacklava.
* Children's activities - so bring the family!
* Music and beats from our favorite DJs!
* A blacklava photo shoot!
* and more to be announced...

Deadline: Thursday, November 1, 5 p.m. — This is not a postmark deadline.

Download the award guidelines (PDF)

The Loft Spoken Word Immersion Fellowship for artists of color and Indigenous artists provides writers financial support and professional assistance to develop and implement self-selecting community learning and enrichment plans.

Winners will be selected to receive grants of up to $8,000 to underwrite projects of their own design. At least one winner will be a Minnesota resident. The total number of winners will be dependent on the requests. Typically, four writers are awarded grants.

There is a $20 application fee for this Fellowship.

The Loft Spoken Word Immersion Fellowship is made possible by the Surdna Foundation.

2008 Year In Review

If you're looking for the 2008 In Review Posts, the link list has been moved out, but you can still get to them all by following this link which pulls them up by label (they'll be in reverse so go to the oldest post to read them in order).

2007 In Review Posts

If you're looking for the 2007 In Review Posts, the link list has been moved out, but you can still get to them all by following this link which pulls them up by label (they'll be in reverse so go to the oldest post to read them in order).

Site Agreement (Updated 8/22/2008): By reading this blog you understand and agree that Slant Eye For The Round Eye is not responsible for any third party site content linked or referenced, as well as comments made by readers. While Slant Eye For The Round Eye does its best to maintain a well functioning site and only link to well maintained third party sites, you agree that Slant Eye For The Round Eye is not liable for any outages, or computer malfunctions that may be incurred while visiting this site or by viewing sites linked to from this site. Images and videos posted either for promotional use or within Fair Use guidelines from public services and sites (for commentary and educational use), however if you feel that an image or video (hosted on this blog) infringes on a copyright or trademark not within Fair Use guidelines and should be taken down from this site, please send an e-mail with the url, name of video or image, reason for request, verifiable information of ownership, as well as documentation allowing you to communicate on the owner's, company's, or organizaion's behalf. All requests will be handled within 30-90 days from time of original request.